I'm estranged from my youngest daughter, she 'dumped' me back in October 2012, it was a shock, I thought she was close, I can't even say now why she stopped talking with me. I remember at the time thinking that she was in so much physical pain that she was trying to hurt someone else in a confused way of transferring her pain, she was so young, just 17.
It hurt, really hurt but I thought, step back, and give her some space, and I dropped off Xmas gifts. The following March, my grandson, her nephew, tragically died, the shock was greater than I can ever express in words, I let her know, but literally within days, I had a breakdown, for 3 months I was hospitalised, and I don't remember very much at all about that period, she didn't make any attempt to make contact.
Anyway, here we are, still estranged, and the pain is no easier, it's harder in some ways, she's happy, and enjoying her life, and I'm watching her from a distance, she is regaining a relationship with some of my extended family, the same family who stopped talking to me because they didn't agree with our decision to support my daughter when she wanted to marry at 16 yrs old (a long story and a case of support her or ironically lose her).
That hurts, she has a good relationship with them now, but still won't talk to us.
Oh I know, we must have done something to upset her so much, but we don't know what. I'm so tired of trying to work out what I did wrong, I'm so tired of hurting (not just because of the estrangement; I have mental health problems).
How do others cope?
